Celebrating survival in face of disasters

December 25, 2011|By Mike Clary, Sun Sentinel

A little more than a month ago, it seemed there would be little to celebrate this holiday season for the residents of three Broward County neighborhoods struck by separate disasters within a recent 30-day span.

Yet many of those who survived an Oct. 18 tornado in Sunrise, near-biblical rains 11 days later in Fort Lauderdale, and then, two weeks after that, a vile eruption of raw sewage in Hollywood have spotted rays of light.

"I still get nightmares about this," said Naresh Nasta, 70, standing next to the ruins of the house on Northwest 8th Court in Sunrise where he lived for 30 years. "At the same time, God saved my life, and that was a miracle."

Chuck Lanza, director of the Broward County office of emergency management, said the trio of disasters was rare to the point of unprecedented.

"I cannot recall in my history having three relatively significant events like this in such a short time," he said. "Statistically, this should not happen."

The tornado came and went in an instant, damaging an estimated 500 homes in Sunrise and Plantation. Several houses are still condemned, including Nasta's. He is living with his son, Rajeev, 31, in Coral Springs.

"He has a condo, and I feel cooped up there," said Nasta, an engineer. "And this is definitely causing a hardship for him."

The flood in Fort Lauderdale came in relative slow motion over three days of steady rain. Adriane Reesey watched the water's relentless rise until the moment on Oct. 30 when she grabbed her dog, two cats and an emergency "go bag" and fled her home in Victoria Park.

The ordeal has produced some unexpected pleasures, however. Reesey said her sister would host Christmas dinner and she would not have to cook. In throwing out damaged household goods, she has learned less can be more.

"Although there has been some inconvenience, this has also brought the family together," she said.

Not all disasters are the work of nature, of course. The Hollywood sewage spill, which occurred Nov. 16 after a 48-inch sewer main broke in the middle of Taft Street, was blamed on human error and worn pipes.

The break led to a flood of raw sewage that covered Rotary Park, befouled the yards of 20 or 30 homes and gave rise to a sickening stench that some people in the area say still persists.

To prevent more flooding, the city eventually diverted the sewage into a nearby canal, killing fish, turtles and other marine life.

"Thanksgiving was ruined, and Christmas is not much different,'' said Clifford Germano, president of the North Central Hollywood Civic Association.

Germano is particularly upset that the spill drove wildlife from the canal, to which he has direct access from his backyard. He has pulled his boats from the water, and no longer fishes.

"This weighs on people's minds," he said. "Long-term, people would like to know if they have been exposed to something that's going to affect their health."

One benefit Germano said came in the aftermath of the spill was a family decision to leave town and spend Christmas with relatives.

"My hope would be that the city leaders might prepare for a catastrophic emergency like this," he said. "That's the only other good thing I see."

Next door to Germano on North 28th Court, Carlos Rodriguez said the spill changed his Christmas plans. Normally he and his wife host a family dinner in the backyard, where they can eat while watching the ducks and the jumping mullet.

"We are eating inside this year," said Rodriguez, 55, a store manager.

Nasta and his son Rajeev are Hindu. They don't celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, but even as they fight with their insurance company, they do celebrate survival.

"This has been an extended nightmare for us; it doesn't feel real," said Rajeev Nasta, who sells cars. "When you look at the destruction, it is a miracle he came out untouched. Pretty crazy."